In With the New: Pairing Dinners featuring Stone Brewing Co.

We might be straying from our Italian roots slightly by saying this but here it is: Craft beer might just make for better pairing than food than wine.

“Craft beer is by far the most versatile of all the beverages when it comes to pairing with food. There isn’t a food item in the world I can’t successfully pair with beer,” says Bill Sysak, better known as “Dr. Bill,” the beer ambassador for San Diego’s Stone Brewing Co.

Sysak is widely considered to be one of the foremost experts in the field of pairing beer with food; he is well known for his “Master Pairings” segment on the popular Internet Podcast “New Brew Thursday.”

But what makes beer such a worthy partner for food? Part of it has to do with the range of flavor possible with beer, so much more diverse than the flavors possible in wine.

But it’s not just a question of taste, explains Sysak.

“Beer has carbonation that acts as ‘scrubbing bubbles’ to cleanse one’s palate between bites. Beer has bitterness to cut through the richest of fats and proteins, like chocolates, meats and cheeses. Craft beers can have sweetness to calm the fire from the hottest chilies.”

“And if you like the heat from spicy food, try an IPA. The hoppy bitterness will calm the front and mid-palate like a sweeter beer, but will also leave a subtle lingering burn on the back of your palate to accommodate that welcomed heat.”